Recaps

Naruto trained in chakra control with Jiraiya, then reached Tanzaku Street and confronted casino staff who barred Hinata because of her Byakugan. He challenged Tsunade to gamble and began winning by betting opposite to her, leaving the casino facing mounting losses.

• Naruto mastered turning a plastic ball to dust and began trying to form a chakra sphere inside an unbroken balloon.
• Naruto, Jiraiya, Sasuke, and Hinata arrived at Tanzaku Street and found Tsunade gambling in its largest casino.
• A casino thug barred Hinata because the casinos forbade people with the Byakugan, and Naruto angrily defended her before sending Sasuke to wait outside with her.
• Naruto challenged Tsunade and bet opposite her on every round, winning repeatedly as Tsunade lost and Naruto doubled his bets.

Naruto used Tsunade’s losing streak to win a fortune, then kept supplying her with chips until she helped bankrupt the casino. He bought the casino and threatened its staff, while Tsunade finally noticed Jiraiya beside her.

• Naruto won repeatedly by betting against Tsunade, while Jiraiya sealed more than thirty chests of winnings into a scroll.
• After Tsunade lost all her money, Naruto gave her piles of chips and encouraged her to keep gambling, drawing her close as she celebrated.
• The casino staff tried to stop the games, but Tsunade angrily forced them to continue until she lost Naruto’s chips and the casino ran out of money.
• Naruto demanded payment, threatened the staff with ninja bounties, and bought the casino, making its workers his subordinates.
• Naruto frightened the casino workers by describing Gaara’s attacks until Jiraiya told him to stop, and Tsunade recognized Jiraiya.

Naruto bought the casino and tried to persuade Tsunade to become Hokage so she could later pass the position to him. Tsunade refused to return to Konoha, leaving Naruto to pursue her agreement another way.

• Naruto won the casino’s money, ordered its staff to treat Hinata as the boss lady, and teased her.
• Jiraiya told Tsunade that Naruto was the Fourth Hokage’s son, and Naruto called Tsunade his older sister, reminding her of her late brother Nawaki.
• Jiraiya announced that Konoha wanted Tsunade to become the Fifth Hokage, but Tsunade refused.
• Naruto offered Tsunade the casino and its money if she would accept the position and later pass it to him.
• Tsunade told Naruto to earn the Hokage position himself, and Naruto left with Hinata.

Naruto used the Flying Thunder God Technique to bring Hinata back to Konoha, then used Shisui Uchiha’s eye to trap Danzo Shimura in a vivid illusion of Konoha’s destruction and Danzo’s victory over Orochimaru. Naruto left Danzo imprisoned, telling him he would live to see Konoha thrive without him.

• Jiraiya brooded over Tsunade refusing to become Fifth Hokage and went looking for a place to drink.
• Naruto met Hinata at the inn, took her hand, and teleported with her to the Uzumaki Clan estate in Konoha.
• Naruto visited the imprisoned Danzo and acted as if Konoha had fallen to Orochimaru, persuading Danzo to remove his restraints in the illusion.
• Danzo fought Orochimaru in the illusion, killed him with Wood Release, and celebrated saving Konoha before realizing he was still imprisoned.
• Naruto revealed Shisui Uchiha’s eye and explained that he had scripted the illusion to show Danzo that Konoha could prosper without him.
• Naruto told Danzo he would keep him alive to witness Konoha’s future and urged him to take his own life if he felt ashamed.

Naruto kept Sasuke with him by revealing his transplanted Mangekyo Sharingan and promising that another Sharingan wielder would appear. After Naruto and Hinata played with Shadow Clones, Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki arrived, and Itachi fixed his gaze on Sasuke.

• Naruto showed Sasuke his transplanted Mangekyo Sharingan and persuaded him to stay until the other Sharingan wielder appeared.
• Naruto ate breakfast with Hinata and Sasuke, then demonstrated that he had mastered the chakra balloon exercise.
• Naruto and Hinata used Shadow Clone Technique to play a guessing game while Sasuke watched, hoping to learn Naruto's training method.
• Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki burst into the room, and Itachi focused his icy gaze on Sasuke.

Naruto used Genjutsu and a hostage crisis to force Itachi to show his concern for Sasuke while Konoha’s forces arrived. Itachi realized Naruto had deliberately maneuvered him into revealing his love for his younger brother, and Sasuke’s life depended on Tsunade treating him.

• Naruto’s Genjutsu made Sasuke appear to turn into mud, and Naruto revealed Shisui Uchiha’s eye in his Sharingan.
• Naruto took Sasuke hostage and then stabbed him, prompting Itachi to kick Naruto away and protect Sasuke.
• Naruto revealed that Konoha had surrounded Itachi and Kisame Hoshigaki, and Jiraiya and Tsunade arrived to confront them.
• Itachi tried to leave with Kisame so Tsunade could treat Sasuke, while Kisame accused him of betraying Akatsuki and Jiraiya questioned his loyalty.
• Itachi realized Naruto had carefully arranged events to force him to reveal his buried love for Sasuke.

Naruto tried to manipulate Itachi and Kisame Hoshigaki during their battle, but Itachi trapped him in Genjutsu and turned the situation against him. Naruto realized Hinata might be in danger, then confronted the Nine-Tails for refusing to help him break free.

• Itachi Uchiha attacked Sasuke, and Jiraiya summoned the Iron Wall Toad to block him.
• Naruto used the Flying Thunder God Technique, but accidentally took the Iron Wall Toad to Hinata instead of rescuing Sasuke.
• Kisame Hoshigaki urged Itachi Uchiha to kill Sasuke, and Naruto appeared to block Itachi's second attack before realizing he had fallen under Tsukuyomi.
• Naruto pretended to be injured and assumed Itachi would not kill Sasuke, but then saw Hinata lying at Itachi's feet and suspected Itachi had switched their appearances or positions through Genjutsu.
• Naruto entered his inner world and rebuked the Nine-Tails for not breaking the Genjutsu, but the Nine-Tails refused and accused him of greed.

Naruto used Itachi’s promise to Danzo to turn Kisame against him, while Itachi escaped Jiraiya’s toad technique. Naruto then began explaining the supposed conspiracy to Jiraiya, leaving him shocked by the revelation.

• Tsunade left the fight to treat Sasuke, confirming that Hinata beneath Itachi was real and Sasuke had been moved to safety.
• Itachi tried to retreat with Kisame, but Naruto’s mention of Pain and Danzo’s threat to Sasuke made Kisame turn Samehada against Itachi.
• Jiraiya trapped Itachi and Kisame inside the Rock Lodging Great Toad’s stomach, but Itachi used Amaterasu to burn an escape hole and fled with Kisame pursuing him.
• Jiraiya asked Naruto about Danzo, and Naruto claimed Danzo had died protecting Konoha after revealing a secret about Itachi.
• Naruto told Jiraiya his account of the hidden conspiracy, leaving Jiraiya stunned.

Naruto convinced Jiraiya that Danzo had orchestrated the Uchiha Clan massacre to make Itachi a spy inside Akatsuki, then used the Flying Thunder God Technique to take Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Sasuke back to Konoha for treatment. He realized he had left Hinata behind and hurried back to find her.

• Naruto fabricated a story blaming Danzo for the Uchiha Clan massacre, and Jiraiya found it plausible after hearing why Danzo had spared Sasuke.
• Tsunade's hemophobia flared when she saw blood, while Naruto pretended to revive the unconscious Hinata and Jiraiya saw that Sasuke's condition was worsening.
• Naruto suggested leaving the kunai in Sasuke's chest during transport, and Jiraiya agreed that Tsunade could stabilize him on the way.
• Naruto used the Flying Thunder God Technique to take Sasuke, Jiraiya, and Tsunade back to Konoha, where Tsunade was shocked to have returned.
• Naruto realized he had forgotten Hinata and left to go back for her.

Naruto disguised himself as Tsunade to lure Orochimaru into an attack, but Kotoamatsukami failed to control him and Kabuto wounded Naruto before the Flying Thunder God Technique saved him. Orochimaru revealed how his failed attempt to master that technique led him to pursue immortality, while Naruto argued that chakra and mastery mattered more than collecting jutsu.

• Orochimaru and Kabuto confronted Shizune and demanded to know where Tsunade was, and Tsunade appeared and agreed to treat Orochimaru’s hands after he offered to revive her lover and younger brother.
• Naruto revealed that he had disguised himself as Tsunade and tried to control Orochimaru with Shisui’s Sharingan and Kotoamatsukami, but Orochimaru escaped the technique by shedding a substitute body.
• Naruto tried to locate Orochimaru and Kabuto with Hinata’s Byakugan, but Kabuto attacked from above and severed Naruto’s blood vessels and muscles with a Chakra Scalpel.
• Naruto reappeared beside Hinata using the Flying Thunder God Technique, astonishing Orochimaru, who explained that failing to master it had driven him to seek immortality.
• Naruto argued that ninjutsu mastery and large chakra reserves were more valuable than learning every technique through immortality.

Naruto fought Orochimaru and Kabuto, hoping to use Kotoamatsukami to bring Orochimaru under his command by promising to restore his sealed hands. Orochimaru escaped, and Zabuza Momochi and Haku arrived to block Kabuto as Naruto watched Orochimaru flee.

• Naruto offered to undo the Dead Demon Consuming Seal and recruit Orochimaru, while Orochimaru and Kabuto joined forces against him.
• Orochimaru and Kabuto summoned Manda, and Naruto summoned Gamabunta to create an opening for an attack.
• Naruto used a Shadow Clone with the Flying Thunder God Technique to strike Kabuto with a Rasengan, then tried to catch Orochimaru with Kotoamatsukami.
• Orochimaru escaped by hiding inside Manda and fleeing through its intestines, while Naruto struck Manda with another Rasengan.
• Kabuto rushed at Naruto, but Zabuza Momochi and Haku appeared and blocked his attack as Naruto kept his eyes on Orochimaru.

Naruto defeated Kabuto after Orochimaru escaped, then took Hinata to Konoha Hospital, where he pressed Tsunade to give him the Hokage position. Jiraiya warned Naruto that his transplanted Sharingan would drain his chakra, and Naruto asked about Sasuke’s injury.

• Naruto used the Nine-Tails’ chakra to recover from his wounds, then struck Kabuto with a second Rasengan and left him near death.
• Naruto ordered Zabuza Momochi to imprison Kabuto beside Danzo at the Uzumaki Clan’s estate, then took Shizune to Konoha and brought Hinata with him to the estate.
• Naruto denied stabbing Sasuke, telling Hinata that Itachi’s Genjutsu had made her see something false.
• Naruto found Tsunade outside Konoha Hospital and demanded that she make him Hokage, offering to help her overcome her hemophobia.
• Jiraiya warned Naruto that an outsider’s transplanted Sharingan stayed active and consumed chakra, while Naruto dismissed the concern and asked about Sasuke’s injury.

Orochimaru ordered Kimimaro to bring Sasuke to him, while Naruto met Itachi in Sasuke’s hospital room and offered to help him return to Konoha. Itachi said he had come to capture Naruto, who demanded Shisui Uchiha’s remaining eye to seal their deal.

• Orochimaru suffered intense pain in both hands and sent Kimimaro and four others to Konoha to bring Sasuke to him.
• At Konoha Hospital, Naruto teased Hinata until Sakura punched him for disturbing the injured Sasuke.
• Naruto returned to Sasuke’s room at night and found Itachi standing beside the bed.
• Naruto cast Genjutsu on Hinata, then told Itachi he wanted to become Hokage and make Itachi the leader of Root.
• Naruto offered to blame Danzo for the Uchiha Clan massacre so Itachi could return to Konoha and live with Sasuke.
• Itachi activated his Sharingan and said he had come to capture Naruto, who demanded Shisui Uchiha’s other eye.

The Sound Four infiltrated Konoha to take Sasuke to Orochimaru, but Naruto secretly substituted Itachi for Sasuke and followed them. When Naruto confronted the Sound Four, they recognized him and fled with the coffin.

• Zabuza let Sakon and Ukon, Kidomaru, Tayuya, and Jirobo enter Konoha after knocking out the gate guards, following Naruto's orders.
• The Sound Four surrounded Sasuke in an alley, and Sasuke willingly left the village with them while the real Sasuke remained unconscious in the hospital.
• Naruto told Haku to guard the real Sasuke, then set out with Hinata and Zabuza to pursue the Sound Four.
• The Sound Four gave the disguised Itachi Mind-Awakening Pills and put him in a Sealing Coffin, believing he was Sasuke.
• Naruto confronted the Sound Four in the woods, and they fled after Tayuya recognized him, with Jirobo carrying the coffin.

Naruto used Flying Thunder God to protect and coach Hinata as they fought Jirobo. Hinata killed Jirobo with a chakra-enhanced Gentle Fist, and Naruto set off after the other Sound Ninja carrying the fake Sasuke.

• Jirobo stayed behind to stop Naruto while Sakon and Ukon carried the coffin onward.
• Naruto tricked Jirobo by claiming Sasuke was fake, then attacked him with a Rasengan; Jirobo survived by raising a series of earth walls and activating his Cursed Seal Second State.
• Naruto used Flying Thunder God to rescue Hinata from Jirobo's attacks and explained that her Gentle Fist lacked enough chakra to damage him.
• Jirobo trapped Naruto and Hinata in an earthen prison and summoned a clay doll, but Naruto teleported them outside and behind him.
• Naruto guided Nine-Tails chakra through Hinata, and she killed Jirobo with a powerful Gentle Fist strike.
• Naruto told Jirobo's corpse that the other Sound Ninja would soon join him and should be told Sasuke was fake.

Naruto carried Hinata past the Sound Ninja’s traps using the Flying Thunder God Technique and struck Sakon and Ukon with a Rasengan. The remaining Sound Ninja counterattacked, and Naruto revealed his Sharingan as the battle continued.

• Naruto praised Hinata while pursuing the three Sound Ninja, who agreed to face him together after realizing he had likely defeated Jirobo.
• Hinata used the Byakugan to spot traps ahead, so Naruto carried her and repeatedly kicked a Three-Pronged Kunai forward to teleport past them.
• Naruto appeared behind Sakon and Ukon and hit him with a Rasengan, but another Sakon and Ukon attacked while Kidomaru hid and Tayuya summoned three evil spirits.
• Naruto summoned the Iron-Armed Toad to block Sakon and Ukon’s punches, then removed his forehead protector and revealed the Sharingan in his right eye.

Naruto captured Ukon after defeating the Sound Ninja and joked with Hinata before Kimimaro appeared. Itachi fought Kimimaro, who broke free of Tsukuyomi and attacked Naruto after Naruto offered to cure his illness.

• Zabuza killed Kidomaru while protecting Naruto, and Naruto used his Sharingan to control Sakon, Ukon, and Tayuya before having Hinata kill Tayuya.
• Naruto fused with Sakon and Ukon to demonstrate their Kekkei Genkai, then told Zabuza to take Ukon to Konoha and imprison him.
• Naruto teased Hinata about becoming Hokage, and Hinata quietly confessed that she would always like him.
• Kimimaro appeared, and Sasuke emerged from the Sealing Coffin to attack him, but Kimimaro threw him away before realizing the Sasuke was Itachi using Genjutsu.
• Itachi attacked Kimimaro with a Great Fireball, but Kimimaro broke free of Tsukuyomi by severing his central nervous system and defended himself with a bone shield.
• Naruto offered to cure Kimimaro's illness, and Kimimaro rejected the offer and fired finger bones at him.

Naruto and Hinata watched as Itachi fought Kimimaro, who was trying to capture a suitable vessel for Orochimaru. When Kimimaro’s Cursed Seal strengthened him, Itachi summoned Susanoo, and Naruto’s imitation of Orochimaru’s cries reminded Kimimaro that time was running out.

• Naruto used the Flying Thunder God Technique to move himself and Hinata out of the way, then told Kimimaro that Sasuke was still in Konoha and suggested capturing Itachi instead.
• Kimimaro attacked Itachi and broke free of Tsukuyomi by using the pain from his Shikotsumyaku, then fought with bone whips and spikes.
• Itachi used Amaterasu, but Kimimaro transferred the black flames onto bone spikes and discarded them.
• Kimimaro activated the Cursed Seal Second Form and attacked at greatly increased speed, prompting Itachi to summon Susanoo.
• Naruto imitated Orochimaru’s cries for Sasuke, reminding Kimimaro that Orochimaru had little time left.

Naruto watched Kimimaro battle Itachi, then predicted Kimimaro’s final technique and fled with Hinata. Kimimaro raised a vast Bone-Spike Forest around Itachi, who answered with Susanoo’s complete form, leaving the two surrounded by a field of spikes.

• Naruto transformed himself into Orochimaru and urged Kimimaro to bring him Sasuke, while Itachi fought Kimimaro with Susanoo.
• Kimimaro attacked Susanoo with his bone techniques, and Itachi strengthened the Illusory War God as Naruto explained the battle to Hinata.
• Naruto recognized that Kimimaro was preparing his final move, left a Three-Pronged Kunai marker, and fled with Hinata.
• Kimimaro burrowed underground and unleashed a Bone-Spike Forest that erupted across the battlefield and surrounded Itachi.
• Naruto returned with Hinata and found Itachi hovering inside Susanoo’s complete form at the center of the Bone-Spike Forest.

Naruto defeated Kimimaro with Hinata’s help and took him to Konoha, explaining that he planned to recruit Orochimaru and then win Kimimaro over. He reunited with Hinata with flowers before bringing her and Itachi to the Valley of the End to eat instant noodles and wait for Orochimaru.

• Hinata used her Byakugan to locate Kimimaro, allowing Naruto to teleport to him and knock him unconscious with a Rasengan.
• Hinata caught Kimimaro before he fell onto bone spikes, and Itachi said he would keep observing Naruto before handing over Shisui’s left eye.
• Naruto took Kimimaro to Konoha despite Itachi’s warning, saying he planned to recruit Orochimaru first.
• Naruto returned to Hinata with flowers, then told Itachi that Karin had placed sealing techniques on Kimimaro.
• Naruto led Hinata and Itachi to the Valley of the End, where he set up a stove and made instant noodles while Orochimaru waited angrily for Sasuke and his missing men.

Naruto and Itachi set a trap for Orochimaru, who had been left weakened and nearly alone after losing Kabuto and several Sound Ninja. Orochimaru reached the Valley of the End in a new body, where Itachi, disguised as Sasuke, used the Sharingan to stop him.

• Orochimaru crawled into his dungeon and selected a prisoner to use as his next vessel.
• Naruto asked Itachi to transform into Sasuke and fight him using only taijutsu, and Itachi beat Naruto before agreeing to return to Konoha on the condition that Naruto never harm the village.
• Itachi sensed Orochimaru approaching, left the Valley of the End, and met him while still disguised as Sasuke.
• Orochimaru admired the Sharingan and planned to take Sasuke's body in three years, but he suddenly found himself unable to move.
• Orochimaru realized Sasuke's glowing red eyes were responsible for his paralysis.

Itachi tortured Orochimaru with Tsukuyomi, and Naruto used Kotoamatsukami to make Orochimaru believe that Naruto was the end of his pursuit of immortality. Orochimaru fled, leaving Naruto and Itachi to consider what the altered belief would make him do.

• Itachi trapped Orochimaru in Tsukuyomi and tortured him for what felt like seventy-two hours.
• Naruto arrived with Hinata and asked Itachi to spare Orochimaru, but Itachi said he was acting to protect Konoha before releasing him.
• Naruto recognized Orochimaru beneath his borrowed appearance and used Kotoamatsukami on him.
• Orochimaru regained control of his body and fled, while Naruto assured Itachi that the technique had made him believe Naruto was the end of immortality.
• Itachi realized Naruto had made Orochimaru pursue him as he pursued immortality, and Naruto worried that the plan might cause trouble as Hinata grew jealous.

Naruto decided to make Tsunade the Fifth Hokage after Konoha’s jonin rejected him, while arranging Itachi’s return and a reunion with Sasuke. When Tsunade tried to leave the village, Naruto transformed into her dead brother Nawaki and used his appearance to pressure her into accepting the position.

• Itachi offered Naruto intelligence about Akatsuki, but Naruto said he already knew more and complained that Konoha’s jonin had chosen Tsunade over him as Hokage.
• Naruto told Zabuza that Danzo would take the blame for Itachi’s actions, clearing Itachi to return to Konoha and eventually lead Root.
• Naruto revealed that Sasuke had recovered and promised to arrange a reunion with Itachi.
• Naruto and Hinata encountered Jiraiya urging Tsunade to become Hokage as she headed for the village entrance, determined to leave.
• Naruto transformed into Nawaki, stabbed his palm with a kunai, smeared himself with blood, and declared that Tsunade would become Hokage whether she chose to or not.

Naruto used transformations as Nawaki and Dan Katō to confront Tsunade with her traumatic memories and help her overcome her fear of blood. Tsunade agreed to become Hokage, then chased Naruto in a rage after discovering his deception.

• Naruto disguised himself as blood-covered Nawaki, and Hinata protected him from Jiraiya as Tsunade began to break down.
• Naruto's shadow clone appeared as Dan Katō and guided Tsunade into treating Nawaki's bleeding hand.
• Tsunade remembered her duty as a medical ninja and treated Nawaki, overcoming her hemophobia.
• Naruto's transformations vanished, revealing him as the one behind the scheme, and Tsunade threatened to break his bones and heal him.
• Naruto used the Flying Thunder God Technique to escape with Hinata as Tsunade declared she would become Hokage.

Kisame Hoshigaki invaded Konoha to confront Itachi, but Naruto, Jiraiya, and Tsunade stopped him from destroying the village. Tobi appeared as Kisame’s new partner and escaped with him using space-time ninjutsu, leading Naruto to suspect that Tobi was Obito.

• Kisame Hoshigaki broke into Konoha and demanded that the village hand over Itachi, defeating the guards who tried to stop him.
• Itachi confronted Kisame, and Naruto, Jiraiya, and Tsunade joined the fight against him.
• Naruto used the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport Kisame outside Konoha as he prepared to unleash Exploding Water Shock Wave, and Jiraiya struck him into a crater.
• Itachi warned that Akatsuki members worked in pairs, and Tobi introduced himself as Kisame’s new partner.
• Jiraiya attacked Tobi and Kisame with toad oil and Fire Release, but Naruto saw Tobi use space-time ninjutsu to escape with Kisame and suspected he was Obito.